At this point in the race, someone like Perry could have a significant impact. The field as it stands today is decidedly *blah*, and doesn’t generate much excitement. Perry may just be the man that GOPers can rally around. Or maybe not. After all, it is August and rather late in the game, and only a month earlier than Fred Thompson’s entry in 2008, which many people cite as one of the reasons that Thompson ultimately did not prevail. Perry also is a relative unknown at this point. While Romney, Gingrich, and even Michele Bachmann have name recognition at this point, Perry does not except among political junkies like myself.

In any case, Perry’s entry is certainly interesting, and presents an opportunity to shake up what has otherwise been a dull primary race and a generally lackluster field of candidates. The next debate should prove interesting.

After Thursday’s debate I’m definitely willing to give Perry a chance. He’s been pretty fiscally conservative, and seems to have the Christian conservative crowd. That’s two of the three legs in the Republican coalition. He just needs to say the right things on foreign policy. Candidates who get all three tend to not just win primaries, but win general elections too.